LSC at the top of national rankings for research

The Department of Life Sciences Communication sits at the top of the most recent rankings released by Academic Analytics comparing national communication and media studies programs. LSC ranks among the top 10 departments for articles per faculty member, citations per faculty member, and number of awards per faculty member, as well as in the top …

Life On the Air: An Interview With Larry Meiller

In 1967, Larry Meiller was in his final semester of college to graduate as a meat and animal sciences major when he decided to take a radio class in the Department of Agricultural Journalism, now known as the Department of Life Sciences Communication (LSC). That class would set him on a path to becoming one …

Two faculty serve on new NAS committees on science communication and literacy

The Department of Life Sciences Communication is continuing its strong involvement in the National Academy of Sciences as chair Dominique Brossard and professor Dietram Scheufele have each been asked by the National Research Council to serve on new committees. Brossard is on a committee exploring “Science Literacy and Public Perception of Science,” while Scheufele is …

Junior Sarah Krier brings Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic to youth camp

Sarah Krier, a junior majoring in life sciences communication and environmental studies, had already spent two seasons as a camp counselor in Hudson. But this past summer she wanted to do something deeper: impart the teachings of Aldo Leopold to young people. In particular she wanted to draw from a recent massive open online course …

Advanced classes help students explore risk communication and internships

What do the country’s largest forestry research and development laboratory, a company working to improve infection prevention, and another that uses breath-analyzing technology to advance point-of-care diagnostics all have in common? They each utilized the skills of seniors in two of the most advanced undergraduate classes in the Department of Life Sciences Communication this semester. …

Effective Communication Helps Keep Wisconsin Lakes Some of the Best in the Midwest

Each year, Wisconsin’s lakes and streams are visited by nearly 1.3 million anglers, making the state one of the top ten for angler activity. Collectively, these anglers spend over 21 million days fishing each season. While that’s 21 million potential days to hit the lake, teach a child to fish, or reconnect with old friends, …

LSC remembers alumna Jean Fewster, gracious donor and friend

Members of the Department of Life Sciences Communication are remembering fondly all that Jean Fewster — successful alumna, gracious donor, and great friend of LSC — did for the department before passing away on Oct. 15, 2015 at the age of 91. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Fewster’s career began with the Dairy Farmers of Canada. …

Dietram Scheufele named to NAS gene editing panel

Dietram Scheufele, professor of life sciences communication at UW–Madison and Morgridge Institute for Research affiliate, will serve on a national panel examining the implications of human genome editing. The committee, announced Nov. 12 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, will examine the clinical, ethical, legal and social implications of the emerging technology. Genome …

New faculty profile: Neil Stenhouse explores impact of science comm on political behavior

Neil Stenhouse joined the faculty in the Department of Life Sciences Communication as an assistant professor this August. Briefly describe your career path—up to this point. I got my BS in Psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand, where I’m from. Following that I spent two years teaching English in Japan, where I …

Writing students practice interviewing at Capitol press conference

State officials and experts gathered at the Capitol to help LSC students practice interviewing and writing by being part of a press conference just for the students. Students in LSC 111: Science and Technology Newswriting got to interview the assistant state veterinarian about avian flu in the mock press conference. The Oct. 5 press conference …